5 Things To Help You Survive Cold/Flu Season

The last time I went down with a cold it was a couple of years ago and let me tell you, it wasn’t pretty. It’s all fun and games til the single mami that works from home is down for the count. The Frog Princess is a bit more self sufficient now but I am here to tell you that those days were awful. Not only was she home from school with a fever which meant I was at defcon 5, but I was also stuffy, tired and probably feverish myself.

You see, my daughter suffers from febrile seizures and I have to be on constant watch when she is ill. Regardless of how I feel.

While under the weather, I rely on a few things to make my life easier. Here are a few tips to keep in mind in order to survive a cold or flu:

1. Nutrition

Chloe’s Chicken Soup: seriously folks, this is the reason I was able to keep it together. Maybe it was because of the comfort it brought (doesn’t chicken soup remind you of home?) or the 50 million cloves of garlic that I put into the soup but, Chloe’s soup is the business and I highly recommend it. I made a big batch of it.

You don’t have to have this specific soup but, having meals planned ahead will mean you can take time to rest and won’t need to be running around the kitchen while you’re feeling ill. Crock pot meals are also good for this time.

And don’t forget your fluids! Staying hydrated is always important but even more so when your body is fighting to get healthy.

2. Medicine

Over the counter medications: ibuprofen, cold/cough syrup, cough drops. Anything that you can take to make you feel better. If this is a cold virus, you probably won’t be getting any prescription meds but will still need to take a something to alleviate those symptoms. A note about these:

Always read the Drug Facts label before administering an OTC medicine

Never give oral cough/cold medicines to kids under the age of 4

It’s important to see a doctor if you have suspected influenza on day 1 or 2, especially if you are considered high risk. The following groups are considered high-risk:

Children under 2 years

Adults over 65

Pregnant women

Anyone with complicated/severe illness

Another note on over the counter medicine: be sure you’re reading all of the ingredients if you’re taking more than one medication at a time as some meds have the same ingredients. This is especially important if you have a prescription as some over the counter meds might have an adverse interaction.

3. Soap

Soap! Do not underestimate the power of keeping those little hands (and yours) clean during this time. Be sure to keep some lotion handy as well (your hands might get a little dry from all the washing).

4. Cuddles

Yes, people. There’s nothing like being sick and cuddling with the little one. I figure my days are numbered on this one so I am taking full advantage as long as I can. I’m sure there’s a scientific study about how cuddling helps with recovery time when ill. Someone Google that!

5. Paid Sick Days

So, I totally threw this in because, hello?!? I can tell you that I’ve been saved by having paid sick days available to me. It helps in recovery time (because you’re resting), helps your coworkers because you’re not infecting them with your germs and lessens the stress when you get that call letting you know you have to pick up the kid from school. I’m sayin’…

I’m lucky that I don’t get sick often. But when I do, I rely on these 5 things to get me healthy and back on track. What tips did I miss?

Comments

Hello, Sili! The timing on this post couldn’t be better. Here in Maryland, after digging out all weekend from, “our friendly,” Jonas Blizzard, it was easy to get chilled. I made a big pot of Chicken Soup, but I wish I had known Chloe’s idea of adding garlic. Brilliant! Never thought to do it, but I’ll be using her recipe from now on, thanks to you. And, I am also impressed by the OTC infographic which will come in handy for a friend of mine with little ones. I’m Pinning it to keep it handy. Good to know about that 4 year old cut off for oral cough and cold medicines. Thanks for Sharing, Sili. Hope you are having a great week. 🙂 Much Love, Fondly, Robin

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[…] week was…interesting. So, I wrote a post giving you tips on what to do to survive cold/flu season and lo and behold, I got a call on Thursday that the Frog Princess was running a 102 degree fever. […]

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Chief Executive Mami

Sili Recio is a mom, blogger and activist based in Orlando, Florida. She is deeply committed to changing the world and works daily to inspire and empower women through storytelling and advocacy. Sili has been named as a Top Blogger by Latina Magazine and has attended White House summits with MomsRising, a grassroots organization advocating for moms and families. Read more →